Expertise

• Explosion and fire protection, overpressure protection
• Forensic mechanical engineering investigations, conclusions and reporting in residential, commercial and industrial situations.
• Investigation of hail and tornado damage, water intrusion, structural failure and settling, fire and explosion investigations, slip and fall, sprinkler system failure and subrogation's investigations.
• Failure scene examination, evidence handling and chain of custody documentation, interview techniques and report writing.
• Workplace safety, industrial equipment safety, product failure analysis, equipment damage evaluation.
• Subrogation investigation of mechanical systems and structures.
• Quality assurance consultation for protective products.
• Registered Professional Engineer in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

Experience

2002 - Present Independent Consultant, Forensic Mechanical Engineer

• Responsible for forensic mechanical engineering investigations, conclusions and reporting in residential, commercial and industrial situations.
• Projects have included investigation of hail and tornado damage, water intrusion, structural failure and settling, fire and explosion investigations, slip and fall, sprinkler system failure and subrogation's investigations.
• Familiar with scene examination, evidence handling and chain of custody documentation, interview techniques and report writing.

1985 – 2002 Fike Corporation, Blue Springs, MO, Lead Engineer, Explosion Protection Products

• Responsible for investigation of field failures and incidents.
• Designed special explosion protection systems and trained sales outlet designers.

Lead Engineer, Fire Protection Products

• Designed fire protection systems, supervised technical service personnel and provided training to distributor network.

Manager, Corporate Quality

• Responsible for manufacturing non-conformity and product failure analysis including product recall situations.
• Established statistical process control for manufacturing.

Senior Quality Engineer

• Instrumental in the preparation, implementation and achievement of ISO 9001 registration.
• Responsible for evaluation of all non-conforming product manufactured and associated corrective actions.

Product Manager, Valves

• Responsible for ball valve product line and worked with pressure protection system design and special applications of rupture discs and explosion vents.

Director and Operations Manager, Hazards Testing Group

• Directed the operation of a test lab that simulated and studied runaway chemical reactions for the purpose of designing industrial pressure protection systems and manufacture of V.S.P. Product.

Honors & Publications

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• American Society for Quality
• International Association of Arson Investigators
• Missouri Society of Professional Engineers
• National Fire Protection Agency
• National Society of Professional Engineers

Education

• B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Kansas